Tuna Potato Salad (Japanese Creamy Tuna and Potato Mix)
Quick answer
Tuna potato salad mashes boiled potatoes while still hot, then folds in drained canned tuna, salt-pressed cucumber, carrot, and onion with mayonnaise and whole grain mustard.
What makes this special
- Tuna Potato Salad mashes boiled potatoes while hot to create a creamy texture with mayonnaise.
- Mashing potatoes while hot binds starch with mayonnaise for a creamy texture
- Salt-pickling and squeezing vegetables prevents the salad from turning watery
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Wash 500 g potatoes with the skins on and place them in a pot with enough water to cover.
- 2 Peel the potatoes while they are still hot and mash them in a large bowl.
- 3 Finely chop 100 g cucumber, 70 g carrot, and 60 g onion.
Tuna potato salad mashes boiled potatoes while still hot, then folds in drained canned tuna, salt-pressed cucumber, carrot, and onion with mayonnaise and whole grain mustard. Mashing the potatoes warm keeps the starch active, which bonds more effectively with the mayonnaise for a creamier result - but over-mashing turns the texture gluey, so leaving some chunks is ideal. Salting the chopped vegetables for five minutes and squeezing out the released moisture is essential to prevent a watery salad. The tuna must also be drained thoroughly in a strainer to keep the flavor clean. Whole grain mustard adds a peppery sharpness that cuts through the richness of the mayonnaise, and a twenty-minute chill in the refrigerator lets all the flavors meld evenly.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Wash 500 g potatoes with the skins on and place them in a pot with enough water to cover.
Boil over medium heat until a chopstick or skewer slides through easily, then drain before they cool.
- 2Season
Peel the potatoes while they are still hot and mash them in a large bowl.
Stop before they become completely smooth, leaving small chunks so the salad stays creamy without turning sticky.
- 3Season
Finely chop 100 g cucumber, 70 g carrot, and 60 g onion.
Sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon salt evenly over the vegetables, toss lightly, and let them stand for 5 minutes to draw out moisture.
- 4Season
Squeeze the salted vegetables firmly by hand or in a clean cloth until they no longer drip.
Put 150 g canned tuna in a strainer and drain until excess oil stops falling.
- 5Prep
Add the squeezed vegetables and drained tuna to the mashed potatoes, breaking up the tuna lightly as you fold.
Add 5 tablespoons mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard on top before mixing fully.
- 6Finish
Fold from the bottom upward with a spatula so the potatoes do not become dense or gluey.
Check the seasoning, then chill the salad for 20 minutes and serve it cold once the flavors taste even.
After the steps
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